Apparatus for applying a crown cap to a bottle under vacuum conditions



y 1953 F. A. PARODI A APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A CROWN cAP TO A BOTTLE UNDER VACUUM commons Filed June 14, 1955 INVENTOR FEDERICO A. PARODI ATTORNEY United States Patent APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A CROWN CAP TO A BOTTLE UNDER VACUUM CONDITIONS Federico A. Parodi, Montevideo, Uruguay Application June 14, 1955, Serial No. 515,513

4 Claims. (Cl. 5388) The present invention is based on the application of the electromagnet as a means to effect the feeding of crown caps to the dies that close the same, as well as to retain said caps in the said dies.

The present invention is more particularly directed to the aforesaid means for feedingthe caps and to a means for applying the caps to bottles under vacuum conditions.

The automatic machines that effect the closing of bottles with crown caps known up to the present are constituted by a rotating device that has a plurality of platforms on which are placed the bottles brought by a conveyor belt. In vertical alignment with each platform, are placed respective closing dies that are operated by cams that operate the lowering of the dies to efiect the closing. i

There are two known systems of feeding the caps to the closing dies. In one of the systems, the caps are superposed on the inside of a cylinder vertically disposed at one side of the closing die, a means being provided that makes a cap reach the die at the opportune moment. The other known means consists of a bin that conditions the caps and loads them, in correct position, within a channel that discharges at one side of the closing die, which die is provided with a side opening that allows the entry of each cap unit at the precise moment.

Both systems operate correctly and the respective machines work with efiiciency. In accordance with this, the problem of feeding the crown caps to the closing dies would seem to be a fully resolved problem. Nevertheless, neither of the two known systems allows the feeding of the caps to the dies when these are placed in the inside of a small bell intended to form a vacuum chamber around the neck of the bottle to be closed, with the object of realizing a vacuum-sealed closure.

The said bell must be of a reduced size with the object of reducing, as much as possible, the space to be exhausted, and its body, which surrounds the closing die which must be within its interior, prevents the use of the aforementioned feeding means.

If the machines were intermittently rotated, there could be used any mechanical means for introducing the caps to the inside of the dies at a momentwhen the machine is stopped. However, the capping machines must operate at high speed to keep up with the filling machines and the utilization of an intermittently operated closing machine, besides complicating the problem of synchronization of the plant, would create a problem caused by the inertia of the capping machine when the latter is subjected to sudden stops and starts. a

The present invention provides a means for feeding the caps'which is, in itself, applicable to any closing machine for crown caps which means at the same time is fully suitable to be applied to a machine the closing die of which is placed within the inside of the mentioned bell, so that the said machine be suitable to work the vacuum closures using crown type caps.

The invention will be disclosed from the following description Which will be made with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an elevation view, partially sec-- tioned, of a closing device provided with the system of feeding in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates an elevation view, partially sectioned, of a device to operate the closing operation with vacuum air extraction, which device contains a bell within which is lodged the die of the closure provided with the feeding system shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a closing die 1 formed by a cylindrical body 2 which has a cavity 3 ending in a conical cut 4 that forms the active part of the closing die. The cylindrical body 2 is integral with a cylindrical bar 5 axially slidable within a supporting or guiding ring 6 integral with an arm 7 intended to be attached to a support column (not shown) that will be secured to the rotating disc of the machine. The cylindrical body 2 and the bar 5 will be made of a paramagnetic metal such as iron. The supporting ring 6 and the arm 7 will be made of diamagnetic material, such as brass. Means (not shown) are provided capable of limiting the sliding stroke of the bar 5 and the upper part of this bar is associated with the driving means (not shown) common to these to be closed. This machine is associated with a conveyor,

belt that delivers thebottles to be closed, leaving them on the respective platforms, and with another conveyor belt that withdraws'the bottles after being closed, each of the platforms bearing a device such as illustrated, mounted in vertical alignment. Between the site of entry of the bottles and the site where the same leave, there is a space where the platform is free.

However, according to the present invention, the system of feeding the caps is formed by an electromagnet composed of the winding 8 mounted on the bar 5 that acts as a core. The winding 8 is energized by the leads 9 and 10 coupled to a source of electric current.

One of the conductors 9 or 10 is directly connected to the winding 8. The other conductor includes a switch 25 operated by a button placed away from the machine so that the said switch may close and open the circuit of the winding at a predetermined position during the revolving of the machine. A cam or similar device will be provided to close the circuit and another will be provided to open the circuit. This arrangement is not illus-v trated in particularbecause such arrangements can be assembled in a variety of ways without difficulty.

The reference 11 shows a Well known channel or chute through the interior' of which slide down by gravity the crown-caps from a bin that conditions them and issues them in a suitable position. The channel 11 must be made of a diamagnetic material and it ends in a flat part 12 provided with a retaining point 13 that prevents the fall of the crown cap 14 pushed by the others that follow.

This channel for delivery of caps must be placed in the site on the machine between the site of delivery of the bottles and that of their departue or exit, so that it cannot hinder the movement of the same. Furthermore, the said channel shall be placed at such a height that the crown cap 14 shall be situated as near as possible to the closing die, so that when the electromagnet is energized, the said die can attract and fix the said caps In accordance with the foregoing, it will be necessary for the cam closing the circuit of the electromagnet to be so located that the closing of the circuit occurs at the moment in which the closing die 1 is in position directly over the crown cap 14 ,for the cap to be instantly attracted and afiixed on said die. The die 1, on following its revolving course,.carries the cap. The next cap in the feeding channel then comes into position to be taken by the next following closing die.

The next step is the entry of the bottle on the platform corresponding to the die provided with the cap. As the machine follows its revolving course, the upper part of the bar will be operated to bring about the lowering of same, pushing the die to the closing position. At this moment the other cam mentioned will operate to open the circuit of the electromagnet. The electromagnet will remain prepared to act at the moment in which the closing die again passes over a cap delivered by the feeder.

This system of feeding and securing the caps may be applied to machines that operate without a vacuum closure but the utility of this system is outstanding when it is necessary to make a vacuum sealed closure.

To this effect, the device shown in Figure 2 will be used. This device includes an identical arrangement as described but in which the bar 5 slides inside of a cylinder from which depends the bell 16 in a rubber packing 17, the object of which will be hereinafter described. The bell 16 is provided with a side channel or conduit 22 leading to a two-Way valve 23 which alternately connects conduit 22 to conduit 18 and conduit 24, the conduit 18 being connected to a source of vacuum and the conduit 24 being open to the atmosphere. The mounting of the assembly is made by means of a retaining ring 6 attached to arm 7 which is secured to a support column mounted on the revolving part of the machine.

In this case, the device must be placed on a known rotating machine of the type employed for filling bottles, which comprises a large disc that rotates, provided with a plurality of platforms connected with cams capable of causing them to execute an elevation movement and also a descending movement. These machines are also provided with conveyor belts that deliver andv withdraw the bottles and between which belts there is a free space, where, as in the previous case, the channel for feeding the caps must be installed.

Such known machines are provided with filling mouthpieces arranged in line with each of the platforms.

When assembling the machine for closing by vacuum, the filling mouthpieces are substituted by the device illustrated, so that when the bottle is placed on the platform, it will be in alignment with the closing device corresponding to the same platform. The respective outlets or conduits 18 of each of the devices are coupled to a common conduit which in turn will be connected to the vacuum machine. The valve 23 is mechanically operated to open and close the vacuum line at such moments as may be necessary.

It should be remarked that the bar 5 is sufiiciently long so that when the platform is free of bottles, the electromagnet may descend until lower end of the closing die may project below the packing 17 placed at the lower part of bell 16. By virtue of this arrangement the cap feeder channel may be mounted in such a way that it discharges its caps at the site in which the closing die is situated at the lowest part of its movement, at which moment the electromagnet will be operated to place and take the corresponding cap to the'position shown in Figure 2.

Immediately afterwards, the platform will receive the bottle 19 and the cam of the said platform will cause the platform to rise, carrying the bottle to the position shown in Figure 2, in which the bottle is pressed against the packing 17 forming an hermetic closure around its neck. At this moment the valve 23 connects the vacuum conduit 18 with the conduit 22 to extract the air from inside the bell and from the interior of the small air chamber 20 formed above the liquid 21 loaded in the bottle.

The capacity of suction of the pump shall be calculated so that during the time corresponding to one rotation of the machine, all the air will have been extracted, still giving time for bar 5 to effect the closure. The closing of the bottle is achieved while the neck of the bottle is pressed against the packing 17 in fluid-tight manner and after evacuation by pushing the die into position to close the bottle, e. g. a position in which the cap is crimped around the mouth of the bottle. The valve 23 is subsequently operated to close off conduit 18 and to connect conduit 22 with conduit 24 which is open to the atmosphere to permit entry of air within the bell 16. The entry of air frees the bottle so that the bottle may descend together with the platform controlled by the descending cam.

The bottle is then withdrawn by the respective conveyor belt, and the closure die will descend until it emerges below the bell and, at that moment, the electromagnet will again be energized to pick up another cap and repeat the cycle of Work.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for supporting a crown cap and for sealing the supported cap upon a bottle under conditions of vacuum comprising a capping head formed with a lower interior conical cap-forming surface communicating with a cap-receiving recess in said head immediately above said cap-forming surface, a vertical bar mounted for sliding longitudinal movement, said capping head being fixed to the lower end of said bar, a hollow cylinder having a channel extending therethrough, said channel communicating with a source of vacuum and with the atmosphere, means to alternately connect said channel with said source of vacuum and with the atmosphere, said bar extending coaxially through said cylinder with the upper end of said cylinder in fluid-tight connection with said bar, the lower border of said cylinder being provided with a packing adapted to sealingly engage a bottle thrust into the lower end of said cylinder, means to magnetize said head and means for pushing said head into position to close said bottle.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said capping head, said cylinder and said bar are constituted of paramagnetic material, an electromagnetic winding in magnetic proximity to said bar, an electrical circuit operatively connected with said winding to supply an electric current thereto and means to open and close said circuit.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said cylinder is longer than said capping head and said bar is slidable into a position in which said capping head is below said cylinder.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which means are provided to magnetize said capping head when said head is below said cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,041,527 Taylor Oct. 15, 1912 1,748,960 Risser Mar. 4, 1930 1,855,465 Bacon Apr. 26, 1932 2,670,117 Kantor Feb. 23, 1954 

